Advertisement

Hang on for a minute...we're trying to find some more stories you might like.

Email This Story

Send email to this addressEnter Your NameAdd a comment hereVerification

Working with a group or individually provide different experiences, but working in a group can present its own difficult advantages. There will always be people who will not want to participate, which can drag the others down; ultimately it is more beneficial to work alone.

People will always try to get out of participating and doing work. “There were times where I didn’t like it because I was always put into a group with kids who didn’t care about their grades and therefore, didn’t participate; What I don’t like about being in a group is when you are left-out or put into a group of kids who don’t care and don’t want to participate. Though when I work in a group like that, I definitely speak out,” says Yasmeen A. to the Learning Network,part of the New York Times. It is unfair to those who are willing to work when no one else is pulling their weight. It gives unnecessary extra work to the person who actually tries. If people do not pull their weight and do not do their work, the other people who actually worked hard may have their grades suffer. Sometimes, the people who are actually trying are not willing to do the parts that the others were supposed to, and because the others refused to do it, it could make all of their grades fall.

However, some people do prefer working alone. According to Logan E. on the Learning Network part of the New York Times, “I think there is a certain point when people should just stop and do stuff on their own and just actually learn something on your own.” Some people learn better when they do their work without other people in the mix. It is helpful in many ways for them such as not getting left out and using their own ideas instead of being ignored.

Some people, specifically the quieter people, get left out and ignored. “Also, one group member tends to take control and the thoughts of those who are quieter or don’t fit in socially are disregarded. I’ve frequently seen people roll their eyes when someone’s making a point, but actually what’s being said is very interesting. You need a teacher to make sure these ideas are recognized and drawn out,” says The Guardian. When a quiet kid gets ignored, they could be missing a valid point that could help a lot. The quiet kid could also be the smartest person in the group but that would not be known unless they are actually included like they are supposed to be. Some people say that group work can teach things from others’ points of view and that two heads are better than one, but there are many cons of group work.

Many times, working alone is better than working in a group. One may get left out or have their ideas go unheard, some people are just better at working alone, and some people may have to do all the work because others refuse to pull their weight.